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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26896564">Better get to diggin' while my body's getting cold</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Perching_Owl/pseuds/Perching_Owl'>Perching_Owl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mass Effect: Andromeda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ambiguous/Open Ending, Getting ambushed, Hurt, M/M, Not Beta Read, Space Flight, Whump, Whumptober 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:28:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,688</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26896564</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Perching_Owl/pseuds/Perching_Owl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After an ambush, Reyes drifts among the stars.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Male Ryder | Scott/Reyes Vidal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Perching_Owl's Whumptober 2020 Collection</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Better get to diggin' while my body's getting cold</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Eighth fill for the <a href="https://whumptober2020.tumblr.com/">whumptober 2020</a>! </p><p>I really enjoyed Mass Effect Andromeda, especially the space/planet exploration aspect - and I still romance Reyes Vidal every time I. </p><p>No 8. WHERE DID EVERYBODY GO?: <b>“Don’t Say Goodbye”</b> | Abandoned | Isolation</p><p>Here is the <a href="https://whumptober2020.tumblr.com/post/628055505485561856/whumptober-2020-updated"> Link</a> for the upcoming prompts.</p><p>Title is taken from 'Bury me low' by 8 graves.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leaning forward, Reyes' hands fly over the shuttle's screen, checking on the systems. He pulls up the coordinates from which he has received the perceived distress signal. His mouth is set in a firm line, possibilities running through his head. </p><p>What's worse, he doesn't know what to make off this signal. It had appeared as he was passing by, looking like a signal from an Initiative ship, but it had only been a quick flash. It had been almost been too brief to be certain, but he had looked it up in his records. The signal had been jumbled though, yet it still filled Reyes with unease. The signal had been familiar, making his heart beat faster. In the end, the signal had reminded him of a certain pathfinder ship, and Reyes' heart had jumped as he had seen it. </p><p>Of course, he had diverted, even if the possibility of a malfunction of his sensors had been there. </p><p>Now he has reached the coordinates. He checks again. There is nothing around, which would indicate an Initiative ship. He has reached one of the smaller solar systems, barely three planets around a sun. Close by is a nebula though, and Reyes pulls up the scanner. He doesn't get a chance to start it up. </p><p>An explosion rocks his shuttle. It comes from the back, reverberates through the entirety of his small vessel and leaves him with a sinking feeling in his stomach. </p><p>It's an ambush. </p><p>Mierda. </p><p>Coming up from behind him means they have the drop of him. They will be ready to attack before he has even spotted them. Which makes things harder on him. Reyes' mouth presses into a firm line. He doesn't know who they are. He doesn't know what they want from him. What he knows is, is he needs to get out from here. </p><p>His hands fly over the controls, starting the scan of the system, an idea hopefully going present itself. Making a run for it is out of the question. His engines or breaks could be damaged and he might not know anything of it until he needs to drop off into normal space. </p><p>What else is there besides running though? He glances at the charts. The planets are few and not one of is habitable, so no place to go down. There are even fewer moons and asteroids nearby. Is there any possibility of escape? </p><p>Oh- the nebula. </p><p>Behind him another explosion impacts on his ship. He is propelled forward, alarms blaring and lights flashing, sending his ship spinning. He breaks out of the spin, cursing, and then takes a course for the nebula as fast as he can. </p><p>Grim expression on his face, Reyes pulls up the rear camera. Coolant trails behind him, however, there is no trace of any attacker. They must be either above or to the side of him. </p><p>Another salve hits his shuttle. This is going to be it. The misty coolant behind him intensifies. He needs to get into the nebula. </p><p>Flying into an unknown nebula is always a risk. He cannot be sure about the composition. As soon as he enters it, his sensors are scrambled. A wave of relief washes over him. He ducks to the right, realises there is an asteroid coming up and he adjusts his course. </p><p>He immediately needs to adjust it again. Another asteroid comes up. Mierda. His hands are flying over the controls and he flies - flies as he has never flown before in his life, his heart beating madly. exhilaration rushing through his system. </p><p>An explosion - bigger than any of the ones before rocks the ship, throwing him forward. The proximity alarms are going haywire, other warnings springing up, and Reyes thinks the other ship most likely has exploded. Finally, his vessel slows down, and the warnings are still sounding, but at least his ship is slowing down. </p><p>Reyes exhales then. His hands are shaking. He allows himself a moment to breathe, to inhale, to exhale, to give himself a moment to collect himself. Then he begins to sort through the warnings. At first, the proximity alerts, which he cannot do a lot about. He needs to get out of here- </p><p>Oh. His fuel cells have ruptured, leaking element zero around him. And Reyes knows this is bad. It's not something he can do about now, except shut the fuel off. He does so, giving himself some time to come down. He needs to turn it back on at some point. Primary life support runs on the engine. </p><p>His fingers are shaking when he reaches out and checks on his communication array. It remains dark. Reyes' shoulders drop. This is bad. He tries to reroute the power to it, but while the short-term communication springs back to life, the long-range communication remains dark. </p><p>Reyes tries again. Then once again. The display is still dark by the end. And while his hands move, his thoughts are racing. Who the hell led him here? What has led him here? </p><p>With a sigh, he begins to sort through his history as the communication array doesn't miraculously spring to life. A yawn falls from his lips and he checks the secondary life-support. Shit. That one isn't working either. No wonder he is getting tired. It would also explain why it is getting colder. </p><p>Alright, he needs a moment longer, to remain calm and exhale, and then he can turn the engine on. He still wants to know if whoever has come after him. After that, he can switch from the secondary power source to his engines. </p><p>Reyes yawns again, blinking. He pulls up the history. What he sees wakes him up again - no, it cannot have been an Initiative ship- no. But it cannot have been- it looks like it's the human pathfinder's ship. The Tempest. It cannot have been the Tempest. </p><p>Reyes' hands are shaking. It cannot have been. Why would they attack him? He knows Scott- he wouldn't. No, there has to be some kind of malfunction. </p><p>His hands move over the controls, he pulls system after system up, but he cannot find a fault with it that couldn't also have been caused by the attack. </p><p>Reyes rubs over his eyes, another yawn passing his lips. A shiver passes through him. Yes, with life support down that is going to be an issue. He shakes his head. Alright, he needs to get out of this nebula. Which is going to be difficult with the asteroids, but he can do this. Hopefully. </p><p>After that, it's back to Kadara. Perhaps he will find answers there. </p><p>He fires up the engines again. Immediately he feels the ship rumbling. It doesn't sound quite right, too much stuttering, too loud. Well, he is going to need to fly out of this. Careful. He yawns. A frown passes over his face. That shouldn't be happening. His hands are trembling as he reaches for the life support screen. His mouth goes dry. </p><p>The shuttle doesn't behave like it is supposed to, sluggish and slow. He needs to work with that. Carefully he begins to make his way out from the nebula, through the asteroids within it. Shivers are running through him, tiredness threatening to cause mistakes, and he needs to concentrate. Despite the coldness that has settled in the shuttle, sweat is running over his forehead because of the exertion. </p><p>When the nebula finally clears, he exhales, his eyes falling close and he leans back in the chair. A few breaths, just to catch himself. He opens his eyes then and stares in the vastness of space. He tries to concentrate, but it's difficult. He is still shivering, exhaustion setting in. Or maybe it's the carbon dioxide? </p><p>Reyes checks his FTL. His heart sinks even further. He isn't able to make it Kadara, not with these engine troubles. For the first he realises, he is alone out here. </p><p>Alone. In the vastness of space.</p><p>He closes his eyes. </p><p>He won't make it to Kadara. </p><p>Reyes reaches for the long-range communication array. It doesn't come online, even as he reroutes more power to it. But the screen remains dark. He flips the switch for the emergency beacon then. He hopes someone will find him. </p><p>Even if it is just his body. </p><p>Of course, he still sets a course for Kadara. He doesn't think he will make it. Not with his life support failing. Another yawn escapes him. Tiredness is spreading through him. </p><p>He rubs over his eyes. Carefully he adjusts the engines, ignores the warning, and then powers the FTL up. The FTL kicks in, loud and rumbling. He hopes the field is not going to tear him apart. </p><p>A warning flashes. </p><p>Reyes tilts his head. Secondary life support has failed. Primary is down to thirty per cent. Either he is going to freeze to death or die of carbon dioxide poisoning. He is not going to make it to Kadara. Not with the low fuel ratings he has. </p><p>A sigh escapes him. Reyes leans his head against the headrest. There is little he can do now. Just pass the time. </p><p>He shivers again. Are there blankets somewhere? He turns in his head, looking in the back, but he doesn't find anything. Mierda. He should have restocked his shuttle. </p><p>Reyes closes his eyes again, blocking out the world. He is going to die. Had Scott-? Had Scott been on that ship that had attacked him? Was it even a ship of the Initiative? Or was it a Kett ship using a transponder? There are so many questions he has, but he cannot even answer one of them. </p><p>But if Scott- is Scott has died, this has to be some massive misunderstanding. He cannot be dead. It has to have been a malfunction, that ship cannot have been the Tempest. But what if it was, Reyes keeps thinking. </p><p>It's worse alone in space. He is alone here, just the reverberation of the engines protecting him from the vastness of it. Another shiver passes him. He is going to die here. Alone. </p><p>Reyes drifts off, his eyes falling close.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos appreciated :) Thank you for reading!</p><p>(At some point I will beta-read this, some time in the future)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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